What are the slender spirit beings in Arnhem Land Dreaming stories called? They are called Mimi, or Mimih spirits.
Mimi are fairy-like beings in the folklore of Arnhem Land in northern Australia. Stories describe them as extremely thin and elongated, so fragile that strong winds could snap them. They therefore live mainly in cracks and crevices in rocks, emerging in the sheltered landscape around them.
In some traditions, Mimi had human form and created the first rock paintings before Aboriginal people arrived in northern Australia. They are also said to have taught people skills such as painting, hunting and preparing kangaroo meat. Although mischievous, they are generally portrayed as dangerous only in limited or localized ways rather than as universal monsters.
The name is sometimes written Mimih, reflecting regional language usage and spelling. That variation does not make Yowie or Bunyip acceptable alternatives: those belong to different Aboriginal folklore traditions and are not the Arnhem Land slender spirits described here.